America, the Beautiful

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
The Declaration of Independence July 4, 1776

 

It is easy to take liberty for granted, when you have never had it taken from you.
Dick Cheney

 

You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism.
Erma Bombeck

 

Little Life Tips

My sister-in-law (and great friend) sent this to me yesterday.  She knows I appreciate good advice and this list is full of wisdom.  I thought I’d pass it on.

 

“To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most-requested column I’ve ever written. My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:”

Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer,  Cleveland ,  Ohio

1. Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don’t have to win every argument.  Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It’s more healing than crying alone.
8. It’s OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won’t screw up the present.
12. It’s OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn’t be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don’t worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn’t kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It’s never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don’t take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don’t save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don’t wait for old age to wear purple.
24. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
25. Frame every so-called disaster with these words ”In five years, will this matter?”.
26. Always choose life.
27. Forgive everyone everything.
28. What other people think of you is none of your business.
29. Time heals almost everything. Give time, time.
30. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
31. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
32. Believe in miracles.
33. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn’t do.
34. Don’t audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
35. Growing old beats the alternative — dying young.
36. Your children get only one childhood.
37. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
38. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
39. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d
grab ours back.
40. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
41. The best is yet to come.
42. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
43. Yield.
44. Life isn’t tied with a bow, but it’s still a gift.

 

Fins

Yesterday we went fishing – in the Atlantic ocean.  That still sounds strange to me having lived in Texas all of my life before moving to Boca two years ago.  Unfortunately, we didn’t catch many fish; we only caught a remora. 

If you aren’t familiar with remoras, it’s the fish that you see attached to sharks.  

Also, if you know Jimmy Buffett’s song, “Fins,” you’ve heard the reference to remoras:

Chorus:

Can’t you feel ‘em closin’ in, honey

Can’t you feel ‘em schoolin’ around

You got fins to the left, fins to the right

And you’re the only girl in town

 

Sailed off to Antigua

It took her three days on a boat

Lookin’ for some peace and quiet

Maybe keep her dreams afloat

But now she feels like a remora

‘Cause the school’s still close at hand

Just behind the reef are the big white teeth

Of the sharks that can swim on the land

 

I have a confession to make about this song.  I only found out recently that the song is about “fins.”  For years, I sang, “…dance to the left, dance to the right…”  It seemed to work at the time.  I also never knew what a remora was until we were saltwater fishing last summer and once again, caught a remora.  I makes me wonder if sharks are nearby when remoras are all that are caught!

It was still a fun day even though the fish weren’t cooperating.

 

Dear Dad

My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person,

he believed in me.
– Jim Valvano –

A father carries pictures where his money used to be.
~~Unknown~~

“It is a wise father that knows his own child.”
~~William Shakespeare ~~

He didn’t tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.
~~Clarence Budington Kelland ~~

“Fathers, like mothers, are not born.
Men grow into fathers-
and fathering is a very important stage in their development.”
~~David M. Gottesman.~~

When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years.
~~Mark Twain, “Old Times on the Mississippi” Atlantic Monthly, 1874~~

Fatherhood is pretending the present you love most is soap-on-a-rope.
~~Bill Cosby~~

Old as she was, she still missed her daddy sometimes.
~~Gloria Naylor~~

Fathers, be good to your daughters. You are the god and the weight of her world.
~~John Mayer~~

 

Happy Father’s Day.

 

Mom and son rite of passage

Today I am celebrating a rite of passage.  My oldest child, and only son, is attending his first semi-formal dance this evening at the age of 14.  He isn’t interested in the attire but he wants to hang out with his friends nonetheless.  He has asked several times why the school is being so strict and making the kids wear such clothes.  “Why can’t we just wear our regular clothes?”  I tell him the school staff probably just want this event to be something special since next year, it’s on to high school. 

I would love to be a fly on the wall watching all the boys as they awkwardly adjust their first-worn ties as the girls across the room giggle and chat about which boys are the cutest (or in today’s terminology, the “hottest”).   I can’t wait to see his expression when I tell him I want to take pictures…at the dance… (just kidding.  Even I wouldn’t embarrass him that much).  I will drop him off at the dance with just a pat on the arm to squelch the potential ribbing from friends due to observing a hug from mom.  Just a couple of months ago, I gave him a hug as I dropped him off at school one morning (he usually rides the bus).  He gladly reciprocated – until the next time I dropped him off at school.  As we approached the drop off, Cubs said, “Last time you brought me to school, some of my friends asked me if I gave you a kiss on the cheek!”  I couldn’t help but laugh out loud and then squeezed his hand in a loving, unobservable  “embrace.”  I said, “Oh I get it, you don’t want your friends to see that you love your mom.”    He said, “Mom…you know I love you,” as he slipped quickly out of the car. 

My boy’s growing up. 

 

A little relaxation

Aggie’s friend is having a piano recital this afternoon.  The friend and her mom stopped by to see if Aggie wanted to attend the recital with them.  I told Aggie she could go but she would need to shower first. 

She excitedly gathered her clothes and then asked if I could start her shower.  I told her I thought she could manage to start her own shower as she has done so many times before  — we’re always working on increasing independence!  Aggie tried to tell me she is never able to get the water temperature regulated, so I told her I would give her a little trick.  I told her all she needed to do was to turn on the bath faucet instead of the shower and the water will heat up more quickly. 

She hesitated briefly and then said, “I think I’ll just take a bath…that will be more relaxing anyway.” 

Maybe it’s just me, but since when do 10-year-olds need to relax?

 

Doggie Daily Double

This morning was quite a morning!  I am still recovering. 

Around 9:30, Lucy (remember our little dog who doesn’t like having her picture taken?) was running door to door, squeaking.  Of course she had seen something outside and was dying to get out there and chase it.  So, I opened the sliding door as she dashed out along with Jack (he goes where she goes and vice-versa).  The next thing I knew, a huge iguana went flying into our pool!  Oh  My Gosh!!!! 

I was immediately freaked out.  I had heard of iguanas in pools here in South Florida but had never witnessed it myself.  What was my plan of attack?  I ran to Cub’s bedroom to see if he was awake because he had to see this!  As I opened the door, he startled me since he was standing right there.  He jumped and I laughed and yelled, “There’s an iguana in the pool! …and the dogs are trying to get it.”  Cubs quickly dashed out the door to see all the excitement.  I stayed inside, safely behind the glass sliding doors of course, so I could take photos – from afar. 

I was able to get Lucy to come inside by yelling, “Treats!  Lucy!  Come get a treat!”  Now usually, Jack will knock over whatever is in his way for a treat – but not today.  His treat was in the pool!  Jack loves to chase lizards – this must have been like hitting the daily double for him.

I knew that getting the dogs inside the house would be the only way that iguana would ever get out of the pool.  I had Cubs help me get Jack inside by using a leash. As soon as Jack was dragged inside, he and Lucy pushed their way through the glass doors in the living room.  Before we knew what happened, Jack and Lucy were back outside again trying to get at that iguana!  So, Cubs and I went through the whole routine again and finally got both dogs back in the house.

Lucky for us (and that iguana), the pool guy showed up at that time.  This was a pool service person who had never been here before.  He had come to repair something on the pool.  When he came to the door, he told me who he was and why he was here.  I didn’t waste time with small talk – I said, “How good are you at getting iguanas out of the pool?”  After asking how big it was, he was very helpful.  He used the skimmer to scare the poop out of that thing (literally…several times…ewww!!!!!!) and it swam to the other end of the pool before swimming into the skimmer. 

(Look closely, the iguana’s at the end of the skimmer pole)

He then quickly lifted the lid off the skimmer and it was like a Jack in the Box (the toy, not the fast food chain)  –  out came that iguana!  It moved so fast I never saw where it went, but apparently it climbed to the top of the nearest palm tree beyond the back fence.  Ewww.  Gross.  I am totally creeped out and disgusted.  On a positive note, thank goodness for the kindness and timeliness of others!!! 

So much for a day in the pool. 

If anyone has any idea of what I’m supposed to do to de-lizard my pool after skimming out the poop (yes, I’m a do-it-yourselfer…when no one else will do it!), please let me know!

 

Happy Jack

 

After all of this excitement, I couldn’t let the day go by without selecting a song to commemorate it.  I think this one is appropos. 

I wish I was back
In Ti-a-juana
Eating barbecue
Iguana

If you are a child of the 80s and recall when MTV first began, when we were all glued to the television and fell in love with Mark Goodman and Martha Quinn (I digress….), then you are already singing along with this song by Wall of Voodoo. 

 

Happy Earth Day

This Earth Day mosaic was created by using the mosaic maker at www.bighugelabs.com

 

Happy Easter

                                      

                        

                                                Easter Blessings!

 

Good idea or bad: GPS leads to home

Yesterday on Good Morning America there was a segment about how your GPS can lead a car thief directly to your home.  It’s something I’ve never thought about so I’m sharing it here. 

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=7293049&page=1

Beyond the GPS leading to your home, there is also good information about how the thief can use your garage door opener (in your car!) to open your garage once at your home.  The intruder can then enter your home through that unlocked door from the garage (I have often left that door unlocked myself)…and so the story goes. 

Here’s what I’m doing after this report – I’m changing my “Home” information on my GPS to another name under favorites.  It’s a little change but it’s something I feel a little better about.

Be safe and think smart!